There is no doubt about it farmers have an enviable life. If you are a farmer you may think that statement isn’t true. You work all the hours you can, for very little money. You may feel like a prisoner to your buyers and wonder how much longer you can keep going.The weather seems to be against you and you may feel like you are working for nothing. This unfortunately is how many small farmers feel.

I can’t think of anyone, who loves an outdoor life, who would switch to a job and a life in the city. So how do you get the best of both worlds? If you run a small farm, you may be wondering what is the best way to maximize profit from your land. It could be growing crops as it always was in the past, but don’t stop there. Through diversifying your activities you can achieve a much higher yield from farm whilst keeping the lifestyle you love but profiting more from your work.

Of course some of these ideas will be more practical than others for your farm. If you are farming for example in Minnesota, raising tilapia isn’t a possibility for you due to your winters.There are also restrictions both federal and state that need to be looked into before beginning some of these activities. But farmers are a determined breed and with a bit of planning, you can turn your small farm into a joy again.

1. Start your own bed and breakfast

If you have spare rooms or a barn that can be converted into rooms, consider opening a bed and breakfast. This is one of the most popular avenues to take for earning more money from your farm. People who are raised in cities love to experience life on a working farm. They love to see the animals and also help on the farm. It is an exciting time for both adults and children.

The level of accommodation can vary depending on the type of customer you wish to attract. Even offering simple sleeping rooms as a youth hostel could bring you in extra cash.

2. Organize a swap meet

If you have a field that is being left fallow, consider using it at the weekend for a large swap meet. People still love to wander around a field to see what bargains they can find. Charge the vendors a small fee, perhaps $7 per car and $15 per truck. This will develop into a profitable weekend venture and can be moved to a different field each season

3. Turn your field into a campsite

Turn a field into a campsite. You will need to construct a simple shower and toilet unit for your campers. Some campsites are quite basic and don’t provide electrical outlets. Others have installed electricity for the campers to use. If your farm is near a tourist area, this is definitely one to consider. It is necessary the ground is fairly level which ensures the campers can correctly erect their tents.

4. Conference and meeting area

Do you have a barn that could be easily converted into a open space. This could then be used for activities such as business meetings, a classroom, or even hire it out to a local exercise group..

There are always people looking for usable areas for meetings. This could be earning you money during the day. evenings and weekends. The availability of parking is always a bonus for some.

Depending on the level of involvement and improvement you want to do, you could supply chairs and tables if needed. For the exercise classes, perhaps yoga mats.

Again refreshments if requested.

5. Metal detecting

Between plantings, you could allow metal detectors to scan your land. They may find a bounty that as the land owner would be half yours.

Alternatively, you could bury metallic objects in your field and hire it out to metal detecting clubs. They are always looking for places to test and improve their skills. Contact a detecting club to find out just what they would require.

Remember supplying refreshments to the detectors, even if it is out of an ice chest from the trunk of your car, can earn you money.

6. Snail farming

It is easy to think of snails as only pests, but they can earn great money. Snail farming has been around for many years and in some developing nations, it is becoming an important export crop. The term for raising snails is heliciculture. You will need to construct a pen, shelter plants and provide with them with food. Below is a video of one way of doing this.

7. Raising worms

Raising worms to sell as bait to fishing shops. The worms can be raised in tubs, bins, or barrels and .you could be harvesting your crop in just 90 days. But it isn’t just the worms that have value, as the soil left behind is full of worm casings and provides some of the richest sources of nutrients for your garden. This will bring in a secondary income stream as compost for gardens. This is an easy low maintenance way of earning more from your farm. It is completely Eco-friendly.

How To Make A Worm Farm For Fishing
Few things are more enjoyable than catching a big fish, and few things are better for catching a variety of big fish than live fishing worms. If you are someone that goes fishing often like myself, then you probably know that this highly common live

8. Raising tilapia

Raising fish, such as tilapia can be a very profitable business. You will need to be in an area where the water temperature stays about 20°C (68°F). If your temperature is lower than this, you may need to heat the water which of course is costly. Your harvest could be ready in approximately 6 months depending on what size you wish to sell your fish at. This is one of the ways we make money from our farm here in Brazil.

9. Private fishing lakes

If you have lakes, you can develop them into public fishing lakes. Normally there are two types. One is a catch and release and is solely for the enjoyment of fishing. The customer would be pay as they enter and they can stay there all day.

The other type is fish and pay. They catch the fish, these are then weighed and paid for. Either way can become profitable. You will of course need to stock your lakes and ensure you have parking facilities fairly close by.

In addition to these, if you had refreshments for sale you would be earning from those as well. Not everyone brings their own food and drinks.

You could also run a small bait and tackle shop on the premises to cater for your customers.

10. Growing flowers to sell

Growing flowers may not seem like an obvious choice if you have been growing crops such as wheat, potatoes or sugar beet. But consider the different avenues from growing flowers.

Growing flowers for florists (cut)

Growing flowers for nurseries (potted ready for resale)

Selling direct to the public

Dried for arts and crafts

Dried for potpourri/ confetti

Growing flowers can dramatically increase the yield of your land. Take a look at the link below about a farmer in the UK who has done this in conjunction with the rest of his farming activities.

11. Real flower confetti

Real Flower Confetti
Read about a UK farmer who has 650 acres and makes 20% of his income on just 8 acres of flowers.

12. Dog Breeding

Is there a particular breed of dog you like? Consider becoming a breeder. A few simple kennels is all you need. If they are also going to be pets then as long as your grounds are secure you could allow them to roam freely.

Consider breeding small dogs, or an unusual breed. As the return on investment will be better. Large dogs of course cost more to feed.

Don’t forget to factor in the potential cost of veterinarian bill.

13. Rent your land for an antenna or turbine

Is your land at a high point? This could potentially bring you the bonus you were looking for. Consider contacting cellular phone or internet companies to have them place an antenna on your property. They pay handsomely. You may be concerned about the potential cancer causing problems. Do some research.

Another idea is for wind turbines. Are you in a windy area? Are there turbines already near-by? A farm near us has sand dunes, which aren’t suitable for growing anything. He now has a few wind turbines (Korean owned) and is raking in a small fortune for doing nothing. Go now and check your wind. We also know of farmers in the UK who have these in their fields. They continue to farm but they make more money from the turbines.

14. Sell feathers

If you have any feathered friends on your farm, be they wild or domesticated, consider collecting and selling the feathers. People love to include them in crafts such as jewelry making, hat making or even hair accessories.

Take a look at what is currently available on Ebay to get some ideas.

15. Growing mushrooms

If you are going to look at growing mushrooms, opt for the specialist types . There is more money to be made from growing types either for medicinal use or for the restaurant market. Depending on the type of mushroom you choose, you could harvest in 15 weeks and expect a harvest of up to 4 lbs. per square foot.

Prior to harvest, contact local restaurants and take orders for a quick sale.

16. Sell seeds over the internet

If you grow any unique or different types of flowers, fruits, or vegetables, consider selling the seeds. Many people feel bound by what the commercial ‘home garden’ seed companies provide but there is so much more available. So whether it is an enormous pumpkin variety or a dainty flower, keen gardeners are always on the look-out for something new. Remember to get a photo of it when it is looking its best, it will sell much easier. Ebay or the equivalent would be a good place to advertise your seeds.

These can be sold over the internet easily. The one thing you can’t do is send them abroad. There are strict laws in some countries about taking or mailing seeds or plants to a different country.

17. Wedding venue

Consider renting your land out as a wedding venue. Your level of involvement could be as much or as little as you wish. You could either have the marquees and toilet facilities in place or the party planner could do this. Catering is another option available to you or caterers could be hired.

18. Bee hives

Bees are in demand. Not only for honey but for the pollination. There has been a dramatic decline in the bee population due to colony collapse disorder. There are many theories as to why this is happening, but the demand is great for these little miracles of nature.

If you have hives and take these to fields for pollination, you can expect to earn $136 for each hive you provide. This is based on figures provided by UC Davis, Bee-conomics and the leap in pollination fees.

19. Open your farm to the public

There are many successful farms open to the public. Some of these generate more money from this activity than from farming. Providing a safe environment for adults and children to see animals up close. Each person is charged upon entry and some families make a day out of it . Sell feed for the animals so children can feed chickens, goats and other animals. Some offer petting zoos as well. Although most of the time, your work will be at the weekends, and school vacations, many schools love taking children on field trips to local farms.

Again, serving refreshments and even light meals can bring in even more money for your farm.

20. Publish articles online

Besides farming you could also write articles about your farming activities. It is easy to get published online. I write here on Hubpages and Bubblews and am seeing my monthly income from my pages increase steadily each month.

Unlike some sites on the internet, these are free to join and you can earn money by writing articles about a wide variety of topics that you choose.

It isn’t a get rich quick scheme, like anything, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. For me, it fits in nicely with my lifestyle here on the farm and provides a additional stream of income.

What an amazing the earth has to offer which we live thanks for insights and possibility. The site is very lucrative for people who owned a piece of land I am a freelancer market consultant and I like to help and support share ideas and information thanks for planting that seed we need.

I have been a land owner for 12 years. My wife and I love the Land, and presenty lease to a farmer his corn and wheat fields. Soon my wife and I will retire and have not come up with an idea that would provide income, but not be overwhelming too.

These ideas are great but I hope everybody realizes that you actually can’t do any of this unless you have the proper zoning, permits, licences and so on. The town would shut me down in a minute if I tried to have a swap meet or campsite. Whoever wrote this is in la la-land.

Please please don’t suggest to people to become dog breeders. There are so many dogs already in need of good homes in shelters, and already so many “backyard breeders” that quickly get out of control. People start it with good intentions and then you end up with bad breeding practices and dogs being kept in tiny cages because they just see them as income. I love everything else on this list but I really wish you’d consider removing the dog one.

Please don’t not suggest the breeding of dogs to make a profit. There are a lot of groups dedicated to changing the laws on this and even more groups devoted to saving dogs that are sitting in shelters waiting to be euthanized because there aren’t enough homes.

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